January 06, 2009

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House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel is taking issue with Senate leadership's handling of the Roland Burris controversy -- and says more could have been done to avoid the spectacle of Burris being rejected by the Secretary of the Senate today.

Rangel, adding his voice to other irked Congressional Black Caucus members, likened Burris's situation to the credentials controversy that engulfed his Harlem predecessor Adam Clayton Powell, who successful sued to be admitted to the House in 1969 after Democratic leadership refused to seat him.

"[The Burris situation] just reminds me of when Adam Clayton Powell was turned away," he told Politico, asserting that both Burris and Powell complied with the basic requirements for service, "age, citizenship and residency."

Rangel, standing outside the Speaker's office in the Capitol, took issue with the speed of deliberations in the Senate Rules Committee, which is tasked with ruling on the controversy.

"In this particular case, I have to find out what was the impediment constitutionally that should have prevented [Illinois] Governor [Rod Blagojevich] from appointing him," Rangel added.

"If we can't find them -- we are going to have to rely on the Rules Committee. But, quite frankly, I would have hoped the Rules Committee would not have waited until this confrontation...Everything the Rules Committee was supposed to do, I would have felt more comfortable if they had already done it."

Rangel said he hasn't talked to Burris recently, but praised him as "a guy who has really championed statewide coalitions" in Illinois, adding that he found Burris's treatment "very interesting."

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As an African American resident of Illinois I do not want Roland Burris as my Senator. We don't need a man in this position who would allow himself to be a pawn in Blago's schemes. We don't need morally bankrupt politicians as our representatives. ENOUGH!

I am an AA (born in Chicago) who voted for Burris, and certainly do not think that he is the best candidate for the seat. Burris clearly knows this is the only way he would be able become a Senator and is exploiting this opportunity to the fullest. Illinois deserves better.

What I don't get is this: if Burris is tainted so bad by Blago, how is it that Obama isn't tainted by Rezko? Why do all these Democrats dump race into everything? I thought with the election of Obama we were past all that. What a mess.

The Black Caucas better get on top of this because The ONE with his 27 million he just collected from Microsoft, United Health, etc for his pay for play coronation is going to run a lot of them out of town. The One, Reid and Pelosi have a lot of debts from the hundreds of millions they were paid to run their campaign, and now these corps and unions want to play. Obamaland is post racial pay for play, and no nonMuslim AfroAmericans need apply unless they have a lot coin. Obviously Jackson, Burris, etc had no where near enough compared to the trillion the One and Reid will be doling out to states like Illinois. Blago was dumb to turn down Rahmbo and Reid--look what happened to him.

The truth is that Blagojevich has not been convicted of any crimes, and is still legally the governor of Illinois. Therefore, he is acting within his rights to legally appoint anyone he chooses to fill the vacant senate seat. Burris' claim to that seat is legitimate, and it is wrong of the senate not to seat him both legally and ethically. I say keep the investigation going and if it is found that Burris acted inappropriately then kick him out. But until then he is the legitimate senator from Illinois. Mind you we dont have to like it, but it is the way it is.

Burris has been strategically used as a "in your face" appointee. He should have never allowed himself to be associated/used by Blago's warped sense of political power. Yes, he could be legally seated. However, it is the intrinsic unmeasurable elements which "taint" ANY Blago appointee. These elements will undermine any degree of credibility, effectiveness, and impact this appointee could make. Race is not the reason he was not seated. Shame on those who are attempting to drag it up. Burris's ego would not let him decline Blago & make the correct decision and eventually become the appointee of a decent politician.

I wonder if Reid let him use the water faucet, or the restroom.
Reid is a joke that has painted himself into a corner once again and will have to concede his worthless position.....again.
Is this guy really the best the Dem's have?

Once again it is abundantly clear that liberal democrats are only liberal in theory, and are as racist today as they have been from their inception as a party. Even Bush has more color in his cabinet than the democrats have in the leadership of either house in Washington.

Nice article in today's Chicago Tribune that has a nice piece about "PAY to PLAY" Blago style with a $300.000 funding to a company closely associated with Roland Burris of which Gov.Blago received a nice CONTRIBUTION into his kitty fund. MMMMMMMMM!!!!. Birds of a feather huh. Burris is not coming in with clean hands & his time has pass, he should withdraw before the dirt starts coming out on him & his financial affiliations with Blagojevich. Burris SHOULD NOT be seated as Temp Senator because he stooped to a new low by interjecting the race card.

I feel no sympathy for Rangel or the Ilk. Most people who voted don't remember the Adam Clayton Powell issue or care. This is about a discredited, unpopular, and narcissistic Illinois Governor gaming the system for his own gratification. Burris may be qualified but so are many many others who didn't want to upstage the new president or interfer with the urgent need to address the economy.

Roland Burris has something wrong in the head for accepting the tainted Blago appointment in the first place. I guess it's because he couldn't do it any other way and he was desperate to get the title senator just to add to the monument he built to himself.

Blago has not been charged. They do not have enough evidence if any to charge him with a crime or with impropriaty. Blago is governor. He has the right to appoint Burris and did. Burris has a right to take the Senate seat. Reid had no right to stop him. This is a Gestopo act by the Gestopo Democrats, and a racist act on top of it. No disputing these facts. If so, the republicans could have blocked all appointments Bill Clinton made during his impeachment hearings. Blago is innocent until charged. He is innocent until found guilty. When did this change or is this an example of "Change We Can Believe In"? Who needs our laws and constitution, the democrats will make their own.

The Senate Majority Leader Reid should be replaced with Sen. Dick Durbin. As a democrat I hate Sen Reids leadership of the senate. Majority leader Reid has no testicular fortitude.
Republicans are going to try to block every piece of legislation as their only goal is free market corporatism and making democrats look bad. Right now democrats are managing to make themselves look bad by following failed free market republican ideology. This is depressing so far.Republican Tax cut Cons have come to the democratic party? Man those phone's citizens, we need money, cash, like the banks, now.

Burris' qualifications are irrelevant. Saying he cant be effective makes no sense, as once he is seated he can vote yes or no just like any other senator. Can he be re-elected? Probably not...but even that is irrelevant too. The only relevant thing here is if he was legally appointed by the governor of his state, and unfortunately he was. So, he is legally a US senator and should be seated immediately. Sorry Charlie, but that's the name of that tune.

Oh, Rangel is "uncomfortable". What a crock - If Reid was a Republican, Rangel would be holding Sharpton's bullhorn for him. But Reid is a Democrat - so a brother gets thrown under the bus - hell, better than having to sit in the back of the bus - right? El Blago has performed dozens of "Governor duties" since the scandel broke. But the only one opposed by the Congress is the appointment of a black man that has no smell of scandel on him. By constitutional law, Burris is qualified. He was appointed by the sitting Governor which is allowed by law. But that's not good enough for Reid. He wants his own people in that slot. WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?????

Charlie, don't worry too much about Burris but worry about yourself. You are about to be indicted. I suggest you worry about your legal defense. In your case the old adage "absolute power corrupts absolutely" is entirely true.

This was a ill-coceiveded lose-lose for everybody. Blagojavich should have used a selection committe for the pick. But, that's Illinois politics for ya.
I'm never surprised to see Rangel opining and bloviating about anything involving race. I feel sorry for people of color.

The Democrats are gona lose this seat in 2010.
But, I can see how Rangel is un-comfortable, seeing as how he got caught cheating on his Taxes down in the Bahamas, and him, being on the very same Senate Committee that oversees the American Tax Laws for the Lil People.

Everybody in Illinois knows that Roland Burris is and always have been an opportunist. It's about "me, me, me." He's not about "you, you, you." Burris, why bother? What's in it for you? Oh I know, EGO!!!!!

Aw geez - Rangel should have been blocked from the doors.
This whole scenario is obnoxious. The voters of Chicago should be in revolt. We all need to realize that it doesn't even matter if Burris is qualified - he's black - he's qualified - according to Rush and his buddies.
This "PC" crap is only applicable to certain portions of our country. It seems when you're a Chicago politician such as Rush and his buddies you can get air time saying anything you'd like. If anyone else had made the comments about lynching and racism - everyone's heads would have blown off.
How do you think the Senate would have responded if David Duke had stood in front of a mic and made these types of comments? Do you think members would have rallying around him? Do you think the Senate would have felt pressured to give him his way? This is the ultimate double standard. The Black Panthers are nothing more than a black KKK - it's ridiculous the way we bow to them.
"PC" has turned into an effort to limit our free speech/thought. It's time for us to start standing up and calling ********.
By the way - if you haven't seen this - it seems Obama forgot about a couple of meetings with Blago. Transparency we can count on!!!
http://www.judicialwatch.org/documents/2009/BlagojevichFOIAresponse122408.pdf

Sherry: Some of your comments had merit and then you went too far. Equating the Black Panther Party with the KKK is as egregious as Rush falsely yelling racism from the rooftops - it just doesn't make any sense and is ridiculous given the FACTS. I am so happy to see many AAs have stood against this farce and not let themselves be used to further the aims of Blago, Burris, Rush, et al. ALL Americans (regardless of race) should be outraged by the actions of Rush and the BCC. Burris should be seated, because it is the LAW. On moral grounds, the voters of IL should oust him on his backside for accepting the appointment from Blago and remaining passively silent, while Rush spouted his vitriole for the cameras, on his behalf. Kinda of like when Palin said she wasn't responsible for what her supporters said at her rallies, and we didn't buy it from her either - yuck!

Mr Burris simply needs IL Sec. of State Jesse White's signature to complete his credentials. Mr White is a duly elected official who acts in the best interest of the citizen of Illinois. Perhaps Mr White's refusal to certify Mr Burris' appointment is his way of representing the people of Illinois who, at this time, have no legal way to quickly remove a tainted Governor.
Special note to Rep. Rangel: Mr White is an African-American.

I can not understand something. We have a governor who issued a legal appointment of a person who is not under investigation. Where's the beef? It seems to me that this is a open and closed case. Mr. Burris should be the Illinois Senator. End of story.

Did Rangel say that more could have been done to avoid the spectacle of Burris being rejected by the Sec of the Senate...Burris was told what was going to happen. Why would you accept a postion that would be viewed as tainted....and why would you allow your press conference to turn into a debacle by Bobby Rush!! It is time for Rangel, Jackson and others from the same age and era (Civil Rights) to turn over the page...to pass the baton. We in the black community have diferrent issues than those of the sixties...and definitely a diferrent approach.

Roland Burris belongs to a faction of old line black Illinois politicians who realize that Obama is more red than black. When the fairy dust falls from the eyes of the black electorate, they'll realize it, too.

In the meantime, break out the taint can, because the whole Illinois Democratic party needs a little tainting by virtue of its eight years of facilitating Blago, "the most liberal governor in the nation," including Barak Hussein Obama, "the most liberal senator in the nation."

Sherry, The senate is all white. Senator Reid informed Blago, he didn't want any blacks that were under consideration. Serious oversight on your part. People like you feel it's ok to have a all white senate to represent the US. Reid is playing the Majority white race card.

This is about the law, not whether we like or dislike someone. Blago is still the Governor of Illinois and he legally appointed Burris to replace Obama. The Supreme Court's 1969 decision limits the Senate's ability to deny a seat to a review of legal qualifications.
Like it or not, Burris will prevail if he takes this to court. It'll then be up to the people of Illinois to decide whether or not to keep him in the Senate in 2010.

The failure to seat Burris is an affront to the federal system. It is an arbitrary decision by Congress to deny a state its Constitutional rights. Don't the yahoos in the Senate have some passing familiarity with their own rules?